


A big mouth

by trash_mammall



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: (just a bit tho), Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Trans Character, Trans David, Trans Male Character, Transphobia, bc max doesn't think before he speaks, dadvid, idk how to tag this one, if you ship max//vid then you are Not Welcome, lowkey hurt tho, n he makes a mistake, n it isn't so much as 'comfort' as it is 'coming to an understandinig'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 07:10:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13266342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trash_mammall/pseuds/trash_mammall
Summary: Max likes to think of himself as knowledgeable, and for good reason. But he's still a young kid with a big mouth, and he doesn't always think before he talks. David's understanding, though, and Max leaves feeling better than he expected.





	A big mouth

**Author's Note:**

> this is gonna have a quick lil moment of transphobia, n that's gonna be the focus of the fic - just incase any of you need a warning for that

Max liked to think of himself as knowledgeable. He’d been through perhaps too much for someone as young as he was, and he hated feeling ignorant or childish. He would often take it upon himself to gather information, so he had quickly learned why you don’t use “gay” as an insult, why “queer” wasn’t to be used in the place of “odd” or “strange,” and that gender was fluid as fuck.

Max had learned more things, of course, he’d had access to a library computer for years, but those were the most important at the moment. These things were pretty prominent at Camp Campbell, and had he not taught himself right from wrong earlier he may very well have made fun of Nerris’ gender identity the first chance he’d got.

But he was still a kid, and kids tended to fuck up without realizing it.

David had dove into the lake in order to pull Space Kid out - the kid barely knew how to swim what the fuck was he doing in there - but the water had turned much cooler as the summer evening hinted at the upcoming autumn. As the sun set, the temperature of the lake had dropped quite a bit, so as soon as Space Kid and David were back on land, they both ushered themselves into the counsellors’ cabin.

Max, being up for anything that meant spying on David, had followed them. His eyes barely reached past the window sill, but he was able to watch Gwen help Space Kid take off his suit and change into dry clothing (courtesy of David’s trunk), as David changed off to the side.

He had only pulled his shirt off when Gwen spoke up.

“Wait, what the fuck, David? You’re still wearing your binder? How long has that been on?” Her voice was tinted with aggressive concern, but her attention continued to primarily be focused on convincing Space Kid to take off his helmet. 

David paused for a moment, finger on his chin, before he hesitantly replied, “since five, I think?”

Gwen’s eyes widened. “David, it’s fucking  _ nine at night! _ Take that shit off before I rip it off you myself!”

Max watched curiously as David snatched a hoodie from his bed and ran into the bathroom, apologizing playfully. Gwen let out an exasperated sigh, finally pulling the fishbowl off Space Kid’s head and helping him change into the shorts and t-shirt provided. 

When David returned, now clad in shorts and a large hoodie and a tan undershirt-looking garment and wet pair of shorts in hand, Max strained his eyes to notice a difference. He knew what a binder was, one does not educate themselves on being transgender without also discovering the world of binders, but he couldn’t stop his curiosity. Eventually, he couldn’t stand not investigating further in whatever way he could.

The door to the counsellor’s cabin rattled underneath his knock, probably far too old and in desperate need of replacing. It quickly opened, David standing in the doorway with a smile and gleam in his eye ready for whomever he met at the door.

“So, are you, like, a tranny or something?”

David’s eyebrows shot up.

Max began to rethink what he’d just said.

One does not educate themselves on being transgender without also discovering things you should never say to or about people who are transgender. This list had left Max’s memory for a moment, just long enough to let a word slip out, past his better judgement. As David’s arms tightened around his chest and he shooed Max inside the cabin, this list began to return to him.

Space Kid left just as Max entered, giving a last wave to both Gwen and David. Neither waved back, though David flashed a smile. Both were now preoccupied with Max, who was wildly uncomfortable with the two pairs of eyes on him.

David told him to sit on the bed as he sat in one of the nearly disintegrating arm chairs. Gwen left shortly after Space Kid, giving David’s shoulder a comforting squeez.

Max did not resist the request.

“Listen, Max, I know you’re a smart kid. You’ve proven yourself sometimes too knowing for your age, but,” David’s voice trailed off.

He cleared his voice, one hand playing with the yellow scarf around his neck. The colour was almost offensive, with how absurdly bright it was. Max’s eyes rested on the scarf, watching as the shadows danced with every movement of David’s restless fingers. It made his eyes water, but it was better than watching David patronize him.

“You can’t just ask stuff like that- especially not with that wording,” David continued. His voice had grown steadier, eyes trying to catch Max’s. Max’s did not move from the scarf. “Do you know what being transgender means, Max?”

Max scoffed. “Of course I know, David. I’m a kid living in the 21st century, how could I  _ not _ know?”

David nodded, and paused for a moment. His fingers stilled on the yellow wrapped around his neck, and for a moment Max let his eyes drift upwards. David had a small frown on his face, but it was difficult to tell whether that was due to him thinking or being angry at Max. The latter would be understandable.

“Do you know why what you said was wrong?” David’s voice was too soft. It was somehow less irritating when it was boisterous and excitable, this velvet tone sat uncomfortably beneath Max’s skin. 

Max took a breath. He hated conversations like this. He hated feeling as though the adult talking to him knew more than he did, even if it was true. The act of having a grown ass adult calmly talk warmly to him when he’d done something wrong made his chest burn and spine tingle with electricity. He took another breath, and quelled the fire in his lungs.

“Yeah. I can’t just go and ask people that shit, and the word I used was offensive as fuck. I know, I messed up, I’m sorry. Can I go now?” Max kept eye contact with David until his final request, fists bunching in the sheets beside him. He made sure the tension rising in his blood wasn’t obvious, but he just wanted to fucking  _ leave. _

David smiled, then. Not the small smile adults tend to wear when a kid is being a little less understanding than they should be, but a real smile. Max’s eyebrow raised in question, paranoia immediately spiking.

“You’re not in trouble, Max. You’re good, it was an honest mistake. I just wanted to make sure you knew why you couldn’t talk like that.” His voice was shifting back to the more upbeat tone Max had grown to know and hate.

Max nodded, jumping down from the bed as soon as he understood that he wasn’t being punished for anything. He was halfway across the room when he stopped, turning around curiously.

“You never answered me though, ‘n’ I feel like this is a pretty accepting situation. Plus it’s me, a literal 10 year old. So, are you trans?” He wasn’t actually sure if he was allowed to ask this of David, so the question came out hesitantly. He knew fully well that asking such a question of a stranger, or someone he barely knew, was completely off the table.

But he’d been going to Camp Campbell for two summers, which meant he and David had spent quite some time together. He felt like he was close enough with David to ask.

David let out a chuckle, ruffling Max’s hair only to have his hand swatted away. “Yeah, I’m trans, Max. But-” he raised a single finger to his lips, giving Max a smile and a wink- “this isn’t the kind of thing you shout to Nikki and Neil about, okay? Think of it like me being a superhero.”

Max snorted, biting back the smile that threatened to bloom across his face. He nodded at David, understanding the situation even without having to be told directly. 

Max liked to think he was educated, or knowledgeable in the general sense of the term. He wasn’t some genius like Neil or anything, and he wasn’t dedicated in any perception of the word, but he knew the reality of many things.

He knew about conspiracy theories branching all different topics, thanks to his short attention span but hunger for concepts he could throw at people to make them question their surroundings. He knew about racism and how damaging stereotyping could be, most second hand, some first hand. He knew about the differences between mental illnesses, and he could understand some disabilities - though he planned on educating himself on those more once he regained access to a functioning computer.

Max knew about being a certain sexuality, or a certain gender. He knew many labels, many concepts, and had scrolled through too many flags to count. He’d begun searching up truths on those topics the moment he heard his parents comment on them.

But he was still a kid, and kids made mistakes. They could have a lapse in judgement for just a moment and royally fuck up. But he also wasn’t a  _ fucking _ moron, and knew that he’d done was something wrong and worth apologizing for.

However, Max wasn’t used to second chances, or an adult recognizing that he wasn’t inferior to them. And as he made his way back to Neil and Nikki, a mischievous smile already spreading across his face, he thought his chest might’ve been a little warmer than before.

**Author's Note:**

> second chances are good, especially when you know the person, and know they can be better! David gets this, what a good dude. he can be p stupid tho, so Gwen has to force him to change out of his binder more often than either of them would like to admit.
> 
> not gonna lie, this was written mostly bc I wanted to write trans David n couldn't think of a better excuse at the moment. 
> 
> n for any of you who want to/do wear binders, please pay attention to your body ! don't wear them for longer than 12 hours At Most, but if you start to feel incredibly. uncomfortable Take It Off! don't do anything super physically taxing (like swimming, @ fuckin David) n please take care of yourself!
> 
> Until next time!


End file.
